1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to support devices used when conducting activities associated with childbirth. More specifically, the present invention concerns a multipurpose pillow assembly usable for activities such as supporting lamaze partners, including a coach and a pregnant woman, during lamaze exercises and for supporting a newborn during feeding.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
When a care-giver is bottle-feeding or breast-feeding a newborn baby, it is desirable to support the weight of the infant as well as the arms of the care-giver. Prior art pillows have been developed for this purpose; however, these prior art pillows are problematic and have several limitations. For example, prior art pillows do not provide desired support for the care-giver""s back or buttocks during feedings. Prior art pillows also do not securely attach to the care-giver therefore making it difficult for the care-giver to change positions while keeping both hands on the infant.
Lamaze exercises are designed to facilitate relaxation of a pregnant woman during various stages of labor associated with natural childbirth and typically require the participation of a lamaze partner to assist and coach the woman. Several of these exercises involve both partners seated on the floor with the coach applying pressure to the woman""s lower back in an effort to relieve tension and pain therein. Some of the stages of labor can last several hours. It is therefore desirable to cushion and support both lamaze partners while seated on the floor and to facilitate applying pressure to the woman""s lower back in a hands-free manner so that the coach""s hands are free to target other portions of the woman""s body during a prolonged and painful stage of labor. Prior art pillows that were not specifically designed for these purposes have been implemented; however, use of these pillows is problematic and the prior art pillows have several limitations. For example, prior art pillows do not provide support for the woman""s buttocks that is secure from undesirable slippage and movement. Prior art pillows also do not securely attach to a lamaze partner therefore making it difficult for the partners to utilize any hands-free pressure applications or to quickly and easily change positions.
Known prior art pillows are further limited in that they are not useful for both supporting a newborn during feeding and for supporting lamaze partners during lamaze exercises. For example, prior art pillows are not versatile in that the support they provide is limited to one or two activities (e.g., prior art nursing pillows may support the newborn but they cannot simultaneously support the care-giver""s back and/or buttocks). Similarly, prior art pillows that may support the lamaze partners"" buttocks cannot simultaneously facilitate pressure application to one of the partner""s back.
The present invention provides an improved multipurpose pillow assembly that does not suffer from the problems and limitations of prior art pillows set forth above. A first aspect of the inventive pillow assembly concerns a multipurpose pillow assembly that broadly includes a generally U-shaped body pillow adapted to extend at least partly around the midriff of a user, and a seat pillow removably coupled to the body pillow and attached thereto in a manner that enables the user to sit upon the seat pillow when the body pillow is at least partly around the midriff of the user.
A second aspect of the inventive pillow assembly involves a seat pillow that broadly includes a generally elliptically shaped cushion having a central opening and adapted to be sat upon by a user wherein the central opening is adjacent the user""s perineal area when the user is sitting on the cushion, a cover substantially containing the cushion, and at least one stretchable strap coupled to the cover and operable to removably secure the cushion-filled cover relative to the user.
A third aspect of the inventive pillow assembly concerns a multipurpose pillow assembly for supporting lamaze partners, including a coach and a pregnant woman, during lamaze exercises and for supporting a newborn during feeding, and broadly includes an enclosable body pillow adjustable between a pregnancy position, wherein the body pillow is adapted to encircle the midriff of one of the lamaze partners, and a feeding position, wherein the body pillow is adapted to support the feeding newborn; and at least one seat pillow adapted to be sat upon by either lamaze partner when the body pillow is in the pregnancy position, said at least one seat pillow being removably coupled to the body pillow.
Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawing figures.